How Kisii, Nyamira schools floored academic giants in 2022 KCSE exams

Exemplary 2022 KCSE examination results in schools in Kisii and Nyamira counties have stirred public debate across the country with Kenyans taking to social media and other fora to discuss what could have led to such a leap in performance.

An analysis of results from 12 schools in the two counties show that some schools that had a mean score of between 5 and 7 now posted 9 or 10.

Several schools such as Nyambaria and Mobamba high schools had all 488 and 388 candidates securing university admission respectively.

Nyambaria High School in Nyamira County hit the headlines after recording 28 A plains, but what stands out most is perhaps the fact that all the 488 students who wrote the exam will be transitioning to university after attaining the required grades.

In the 2021 exam, the school posted a mean score of 9.30; this year it hit the 10.897 mark.

Charles Onyari, Nyambaria Boys High School Principal, said: “I really thank all the candidates of last year for the results that they have posted, and we shall always remember them because it has gone into history. This is the first time this school has recorded that mean.”

The school board Chairman Lazarus Momanyi, on his part, stated: “This school has improved its infrastructure in the last few years simply because the government has supported us in many ways. We’re very happy with the patronage we get from our County Education Office; you come here every other time and you will find that they have visited our school to find out how we’re doing and give the necessary guidance.”

Still in Nyamira County, Mobamba High School which had 348 candidates in the 2022 exam will see all join university. The school, which had a mean score of 5.11 in 2021, has raised that to 9.28 in last year's exam.

It’s a similar tale from Kebirigo High School, Nyakongo Boys, Kebabe Girls, St. Kizito Nyansiongo Boys and several others; the administrators in the schools dispel the notion that something is afoot.

Ezekiel Okeyo, the Principal of St. Kizito Nyansiongo Boys High School, said: “As a school we have performed very well [because] we had sat down and set our targets. I want to thank all the stakeholders, board of management, sponsor teachers and the students, they have made us gain the mean that we got.”

Beatrice Bironga, Kebabe Girls Secondary School Principal, chimed in: “I want to thank the teachers who worked very hard, because without their hard work and support, we would not have posted this mean.”

Also recording a sharp rise in its mean score in the last exam was Kuura Secondary School which in 2021 had a mean score of 5.37; that rose to 9.11 in 2022.

St, Pauls Igonga, which had a mean score of 6.2 in the last exam, had a significant rise in 2022 at 10.26.

Cardinal Otunga Secondary School, which also had a stellar performance, raised its mean score from 7.44 to 10.76.

Nyabururu High School, Kisii School, Kiage Tumaini and Nyabisase Secondary School were among those that shone in the 2021 KCSE exam.

With principals insisting that the results are a product of their sheer hard work and detrmination, it is expected that the larger Gusii region will remain on the spotlight over the 2022 performance.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu did not address the issue of examination irregularities as he released the 2022 KCSE results.